$1.2 Million & Growing

Thursday

Jan 23, 2014 at 11:34 AM

$62,000 to rebuild a single green is rather exorbitant by any standard; nonetheless, that's the figure City Council is now being asked to approve for remodeling the greens at the Muni ($1,218,000, contingencies included).
As a frequent Muni player and city resident, I would love to play an improved Muni.
I have written before that I favor an approach which would embrace badly needed improvements to the entirety of the course, not just the putting greens.
During the several months of projected course closure, Muni maintenance staff could be utilized to address tee boxes, bunkers, and fairways while contractor personnel scalp and replant greens with hybrid Bermuda, replace cart paths and renovate the watering system.
Even factoring in the $100,000 sunk cost already paid to the greens re-designer, the approach I've outlined to improve the whole golf course, would cost far, far less - by probably half - than the now projected $1.2million.
Only pencil work has been done thus far; yet the project estimate has already grown some 70% from $700,000 to $1.2 million. So I think now is the time for the City Council to exert some leadership and direct City staff to take a deep breath, step back and rethink this partial makeover project.
Ron Cagle, P.E
Ron Cagle Wilmington

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.